On Monday, September 22, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, took part in an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council convened due to the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets.
During his speech, Andrii Sybiha noted that Russia, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is destroying the international peace and security that it should be supporting.
“Who will be next? Which other emergency meeting will we have to convene in the coming weeks? Which country will be the next to face Russian provocations?” the minister inquired.
Andrii Sybiha emphasized that Russia is deliberately escalating the situation to force everyone to play by its rules – the law of the jungle, where might makes right.
“Our goal is the opposite: we must force Russia to play by our rules. We have rules that are accepted by everyone. They are called the UN Charter,” the minister noted.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs drew the attention of the UN Security Council to the fact that 10 days ago, a meeting was held in connection with the invasion of two dozen Russian drones into Poland. He stressed that all these events are not accidental but deliberate actions by Russia.
“Europe is not at war with Russia, but Russia is at war with Europe. And the only way to protect peace is to respond with strength and unity. The best way to prevent a wider war in Europe is to strengthen support for Ukraine,” the minister noted and emphasized that Russia poses an existential threat to Europe.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs noted that Ukraine is the only country in the world that is resisting regular massive air attacks by Russia involving more than 500 drones and missiles. Our state is ready to share its experience and join forces with its allies.
“Ukraine has learned many bitter lessons in the past. Russian provocations in Poland and Estonia are reminiscent of how Russian aggression against Ukraine began. Hybrid attacks and escalation, soldiers without identification marks, violations of the state border, and other steps. We see this pattern repeating itself, but in different forms. The only effective way to counter this escalation is to respond with strength and unity,” the minister emphasized.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that political actions must be reinforced by decisive measures, as weak and belated reactions will only encourage further aggression.
The Minister called for the creation of an integrated European air defense system together with Ukraine, which would combine intelligence, early warning, and target interception. The necessary capabilities, experience, and alliances are in place to achieve this.
“A strong response means that the threat is not accompanied – not for twelve minutes, not for one minute – but neutralized. We confirm our readiness to integrate air defense systems. This is our European sky, over Ukraine and other European countries. This is our common security space. And we must create a common air shield to protect us all,” Andrii Sybiha stated.
In addition, the Minister for Foreign Affairs emphasized the need to increase sanctions pressure on Russia and strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities.
Finally, Andrii Sybiha expressed Ukraine's solidarity with the government and people of Estonia and expressed his readiness to contribute to common European security.